Inferno
by rwbyfics
Summary: "I'm R-Ruby." The young Huntress's words faltered a bit when the other woman cupped her face as if examining her under a microscope. "Pretty name for a pretty girl like you." The woman crooned, her voice silken as her fingers traced a small birthmark on Ruby's neck.
1. Chapter 1

Ruby waved as she and team JNPR parted ways. The four traveled down the hall like a small cloister of limps and one familiar mouth jabbering about pancakes. Ruby was alone for the day; Blake and Yang were on a date downtown and Weiss was on a train to Atlas to greet family. The heiress hadn't been too excited when she had departed, but Ruby didn't want to pry in any of her business and irk her partner; she had learned that lesson the hard way.

Ruby was, however, left to wander the somewhat vacant halls of Beacon. Exchange students were on a tour of Vale that Professor Goodwitch herself would coordinate and conduct.

Ruby thought how terrifying it would be to have Glynda yell at her about what the CCT Tower did. Yang had done a spot on impression of the professor last night, following with an explanation as to why the renowned Huntress was so intimidating.

"Scary people just look mad all the time; even when they're saying nice things. Like, one time I went to her office because I had killed the most Grimm on a hunt – oh stop pouting, Weiss, I worked hard for that and you_ know_ it– and she was like, '_MS. XIAO LONG, YOU DID WELL. GOOD FOR YOU. LOOK AT HOW SCARY I AM._"

Ruby had burst into peals of laughter as Yang put her hands on her hips and furrowed her eyebrows so furiously, her eyes shut.

Blake had snorted as she unraveled the bow from her Faunus ears and climbed up onto Ruby's bunk so that the younger girl could scratch at them.

Weiss had given a noncommittal sniff, but when she turned to face the trunk she was packing, Ruby could swear she saw the hints of a rare smile.

Ruby couldn't think of anything scarier than Glynda Goodwitch, but before she could try, a strong shoulder slamming her into the ground cut off her thoughts.

"Ouch!" Ruby groaned from the marble floors, gripping her upper arm and trying to massage the white-hot flickers of pain that danced through her veins. Her eyes were screwed shut as she tried to discern if her shoulder was dislocated.

Instead of a rushed apology thick with an accent from the other Kingdoms, Ruby was met with a dissatisfactory cluck.

"Watch where you're going, little one." Ruby was gripped under the arms and hauled up unceremoniously. Ruby opened her eyes and blinked a few times to truly process what she was looking at.

Limpid flames of unadulterated color and the slightest hint of an ebony core were fixed on Ruby like miniature suns. The owner of the extremely frightening yet attractive eyes was a woman, taller than Ruby and far more mature than anyone she had seen before.

The bone structure of her face was regal and haughty, curved cheekbones and a sloping jawline giving way to a graceful neck. Her skin was powder white, smooth and unblemished. Her skin was not only beautiful, but also available for others to see, thanks to small tweaks to her wardrobe.

She wore the blouse that Beacon had assigned to all female students, but it fit a bit tighter around her chest and waist. A few buttons were parted so that a slight amount of a black lace bra was visible, dark material tracing patterns into the canvas of her chest.

The woman seemed to have forgotten her blazer, and chose to unbutton the blouse's sleeves and roll them up to the elbow. The shirt was tucked into the same plaid skirt that Ruby wore, only it looked far better on the woman as it clung to her slim waist and showed off – _oh. _

The woman was wearing garters, clipped to a pair of black thigh-high socks with a subtle amount of her thighs to show between the black straps.

Ruby gulped nervously.

She felt like a small rabbit caught in the hands of a lioness, which toyed with her between manicured paws.

"I'm- I'm sorry." Ruby caught herself breathing a bit harder than usual. "We've met before, haven't we?"

The woman released Ruby to her gratefulness, only to dust off the lapels of her blazer with a languid hand.

"Maybe we have, maybe we haven't. I'm bad with names and faces." She replied calmly, tugging on Ruby's jacket so that she yelped a bit. Ruby jerked forward and was now mere inches away from the most attractive person she had seen before.

The woman glanced down at Ruby, who was breathing softly, but in irregular patterns.

"I'm R-Ruby." The young Huntress's words faltered a bit when the other woman cupped her face as if examining her under a microscope.

"Pretty name for a pretty girl like you." The woman crooned, her voice silken as her fingers traced a small birthmark on Ruby's neck.

"Thank you." Ruby looked down, a little bashful, but the woman clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, and Ruby's head snapped back up instantaneously.

"Of course. Pretty things like you need to be told that they're pretty. Otherwise they'd never realize it. All that humble modesty and whatnot." The woman smiled slowly, as if amused at the girl before her, and continued to speak. "My name is Cinder." She brushed at a stray piece of lint on Ruby's shoulder.

Her touches were light but insistent, slow but demanding, and something about the look in her eyes gave Ruby the shivers. It wasn't a bad thing, of course, but Ruby had never seen anyone so commanding and intuitively authoritative.

Cinder's hands rested on Ruby's arms for just a moment, fiery eyes meeting Ruby's silver before she stepped past the smaller girl in one easy movement.

"Good night, little jewel." She said softly, her voice lilting sweetly in Ruby's ears.

She pressed one feather-light touch to Ruby's shoulder and walked away, her skirt swishing every once in a while to reveal her garters and pale thighs.

Ruby stood in the hallway for a few minutes, one hand absently rubbing at her shoulder. Cinder's fingertips were branded into her skin like a scar, but it prickled with nervous energy.

Perhaps there truly was something scarier than Glynda Goodwitch, in all her stern and fearsome power. Perhaps it was Cinder, who held potential to burn brighter than any fire, flame, or inferno, or who could scorch her touches into Ruby's flesh with barely-there caresses, or douse Ruby in gasoline and set her alight at any moment.

Ruby bit down on her lip, pushed her worrisome thoughts aside, and walked to her dormitory alone.

Cinder was a new friend, and Ruby trusted her friends, so she would be no exception.


	2. Chapter 2

Ruby nudged open the door to Professor Goodwitch's office with the tip of her boot. She was carrying a tower of boxes stacked high on her straining arms, and each was filled with an abundance of student records.

Oobleck had sent her on a quick errand – his thorough explanation and directions to Glynda's office were anything but – and she had happily obliged.

"Professor Goodwitch!" Ruby called out, kicking the heavy oaken door open with a huff. She inched her way in, squeaking a bit as the boxes swayed threateningly.

Neatly printed labels and manila folders obstructed Ruby's view of the room, but she could hear the familiar clicks of Glynda's heels against polished tile.

Ruby set the boxes down near the door, straightening a few errant papers before looking around the room.

"Profess – _oh._" Glynda was absent from the room; her riding crop had been taken from its usual place on her desk, but was replaced by the familiar curve of a gorgeous waist and luscious hips and glossy ebony curls–

"Cinder?" Ruby cried in surprise.

Cinder turned from her perch on the edge of the massive desk, humming lightly at the call of her name. She looked up distractedly from a collection papers that she held between her hands.

When she caught sight of Ruby, standing wide-eyed and confused, she gave the younger girl her full attention.

"Why, if it isn't the little jewel." Cinder purred sweetly, crossing her legs and giving Ruby a tantalizing peek up the shadows of her skirt. Her eyes were fixed on Ruby's face, leaping flames of matching conflagrations flickering with delight.

Ruby gulped dryly; how did Cinder get in here without Professor Goodwitch's permission?

"W-What are you doing here?" Ruby blurted, fiddling with her fingers and trying to escape the prickling heat that flagged her cheeks. She ducked her head ever so slightly; blushing in front of Cinder seemed to make her much too vulnerable.

Cinder waved a hand in dismissal.

"Nothing that involves you, my sweet." She paused to press her scarlet lips together in thoughtfulness. "Research, I guess you could say." Her lips curved back into a stunning smile, and Ruby felt light-headed all of a sudden.

Suddenly, Cinder's voice took on a lighter, teasing tone. Something in her inflections made heat coil low at the base of Ruby's throat, and she could feel the flush spreading across her chest. The thin fabric of her blouse sat like a brand on her skin, and she felt her ears redden at the tips.

"Are you here to see Professor Goodwitch, Ruby? Have you been a _bad_ girl?" Cinder smiled slyly, leaning forward on the desk so her cleavage became very apparent, and the ebony lace of her bra strap peeked out from a loosely buttoned blouse.

Ruby's lips flapped open a few times as she searched frantically for coherent sentences.

"Oh, no, no, _no_, not at all, I'm just dropping off some things for her!" Ruby squeaked, trying to ignore her sweating palms. Her voice was a few pitches higher, and she could feel the broiling anxiousness in her stomach churn.

Cinder threw her head back and laughed.

"Are you sure? Because in my experience," Cinder jabbed a thumb at her chest and Ruby saw stars. "It's always the _cutest_ ones that have a knack for getting into some really, _really_ naughty things."

When Ruby replied with a dull, panicked look, Cinder smiled once more. She organized the papers she had taken from Glynda's desk and folded them neatly. Ruby could see a few official stamps through the fine parchment, but was distracted as Cinder drew near.

Cinder's long fingernail traced Ruby's jaw, lifting her head just a bit higher.

"It doesn't concern you, darling." She murmured quietly, voice silken but eyes flaming as she tucked the documents into her bag.

Cinder strode past Ruby, who stood frozen at her spot by the door, but when the older woman touched the Huntress's shoulder, she heard her blood beat run loud and true in her ears.

"You won't tell anyone about my research, will you, little jewel?" Cinder's voice was soft and soothing, and Ruby nodded numbly. Cinder's voice was the snake charmer's flute to the snaps and hisses of Ruby's conscience.

"What a _good_ girl." Cinder stroked through Ruby's hair once, fingernails digging lightly at the soft skin at the nape of her neck before opening the door and disappearing into the corridors.

Ruby shivered. The room seemed so much colder after Cinder had taken her leave, and the thin sweater that she had draped over her blouse was doing nothing to combat the cold.

The Huntress left, feet plodding along the hallways. Though her movements were slow, her mind was racing. Oobleck would want a reason for her late return to class, and she would make up an answer, no matter how far-fetched or unbelievable.

Cinder was her _friend_, and friends helped each other.


	3. Chapter 3

Darkness edged the architectural outline of Vale, coating it in ebony shadow and blanketing it in a soft quilt of stars. Beacon Academy sat as the crowning jewel of the cultural metropolis, the sheen of gilded columns and the sharp metallic glint of Dust-inlaid steel sparkling under moonlight.

Ruby had just finished up in one of the study rooms, and was stumbling along the starry hallways of Beacon. Her shadow swayed along the tile, clumsy steps clattering through the vacant space.

Professor Goodwitch had written her an afterhours pass, albeit reluctantly, and it was already clutched in her hand so that she wouldn't have to speak to any hall monitors or patrolling teachers, merely push the crumpled paper into an accusing hand and trudge to her dorm room.

It was a quarter to four, and Ruby felt like her eyes were going to fall out of her head. Professor Port had declared via exuberant and flowery Scroll message that they would be taking their Grimm History final five months before it was originally scheduled. His impressive reason was only that, "We do not have an itinerary for when we go to war! We battle at first hand's notice! And we lay waste to enemies!"

Yang had dismissed it, replying to an indignant Weiss that extra credit could probably fix any leak to her grade point average. Blake had shrugged after checking her Scroll. She simply replaced her leather-bound novel for their textbook before hunkering down to sponge up any required information that she hadn't retained the first time reading it. Weiss had already done the rest of the semester's coursework when it had been assigned, and decided to indulge in a lengthy nap.

Ruby alone was left to slave away in an empty study room, papers and textbooks and highlighters scattered around a foot-long desk. She had cried about three times in the span of two hours, but after Yang had dropped off a box of fresh strawberries, two cans of whipped cream, and wished her luck, she had studied with renewed vigor.

Ruby readjusted her book bag over her shoulder, turning around a corner before colliding with someone's shoulder. Ruby grumbled under her breath and sidestepped the obstacle. She waved her pink pass at the person like an angry flag and continued on, yawning so hard she felt the corners of her mouth strain.

"I don't even get a proper hello?" Cinder's voice was coquettish and teasing. She was draped in moonlight, eyes fiery in contrast from shadow.

Ruby's teeth clamped down on her lower lip when she caught the flash of a coy smile engraved by starlight. Exhaustion and annoyance did nothing to dampen the small spark of excitement that lit every time she saw Cinder.

"Oh! Cinder! S-Sorry, I didn't see you there! It's just been a really long night; I've been up for nineteen hours and I'm _pretty_ sure I can taste the color purple; sorry." Ruby rambled as she rubbed her eyes wearily, slumping against the wall behind her.

Cinder strode forward, and personal space was thrown out the window in milliseconds. Ruby's back hit the wall and she flattened herself against it, shivering when Cinder's breath ghosted over her lips. Cinder's hands were planted on either side of Ruby's head; framing petal pale cheekbones and full lips.

"I'm just teasing you, pet." Cinder glanced down at Ruby's lips and smiled. "You should get some rest." Ruby's book bag slipped onto marble floors, as she pressed closer to the wall.

The heat of Cinder's chest was pressing against hers, and she was warm, heat rolling off of her in calm, relaxed waves. The taller woman was inching closer, and soon, she had her hand curled under Ruby's chin, and their lips met.

Ruby sunk into the kiss, her lips blossoming open as Cinder coaxed her with an expert tongue. She arched into the contact of Cinder's hand settling firmly on her waist.

Cinder's mouth was soft and smooth, warm, plush flesh that Ruby lost herself in. Kissing Cinder was no playground affair; it was a dance with a bonfire, flame and passion mingling as Ruby tilted her chin willingly to deepen the kiss.

Soon, Cinder was pulling away, offering a small nip to Ruby's lower lip in parting.

Cinder sucked on her lower lip in thought, as if contemplating the taste of the smaller girl's mouth, and spoke.

"Strawberries?"

Ruby nodded furiously, a pink flush spreading across her cheeks.

"It's nice to know you taste as sweet as you look." Cinder drawled, circling her thumb over Ruby's ribcage. Ruby's blush deepened. Every time Cinder touched her or even looked at her, she felt like combusting out of excitement.

Cinder leaned forward, craning her neck towards Ruby's mouth. Her hand clutched tightly at Ruby's ribs, and the Huntress gasped, a heaving breath forced out of her.

"Good night, Ruby."

Cinder pressed a slow kiss to the corner of Ruby's mouth, felt the young girl tremble a bit, and pulled away.

Cinder walked away from Ruby, heading towards the exchange student dorms. Ruby slumped against the wall, a hand pressed to her warm mouth. She grazed her fingertips along her lips, trying to preserve the feeling of Cinder's lips against hers.


	4. Chapter 4

The quiet of Beacon's library was interrupted by the boasting hum of an ancient grandfather clock, announcing that midnight had arrived. The small elderly librarian nodded off at her desk, wire-framed glasses sliding onto her chest as she slumped further into her chair. The sprawling sanctuary held millions of books and rows and rows of carved bookshelves.

Cinder pinned Ruby against one of the bookshelves with an audible thud, silencing the Huntress's cry of surprise with her wet mouth, and Ruby sank into her, clumsy hands roaming the older woman's body.

They were in the furthest and dimmest corner of the library, a frequent spot for illicit affairs or those who enjoyed cookbooks. Cinder used the darkness and distance to her advantage, warm hands flitting over Ruby's and tracing patterns onto supple lips with a torrid tongue. These trysts had been going on for a few consecutive nights, but routine did nothing for the spark of excitement that lit in Ruby's ribs.

"Quiet, sweetling. You wouldn't want to be caught, would you?" Cinder's laugh was low and husky, and Ruby sighed imperceptibly as the woman kissed her again. Ruby kissed back, however clumsy and inexperienced she was, she prayed that her passion would trump technique.

Cinder pressed closer into Ruby, gripping her by the waist and pulling her into the warmth of her chest. The innocent, gentler parts of Ruby's hips and waist welcomed the plush curves and seductive skin and the heady scent of Cinder.

Ruby keened into the kiss, her thumb painting languorous circles into Cinder's waist.

Cinder was certainly something to behold, warm skin and sinful flesh and lustful eyes, vinous and intoxicating and warm as red wine. Ruby drank in the scent of Cinder, all of the warm remnants of a fire and the faintest trace of smooth, dark leather against her tongue.

Ruby parted her lips as Cinder's hand cradled her jaw, slim fingers curling around her chin in dominance. She allowed Cinder's tongue to roam her mouth as she pleased, and moaned as Cinder cupped her face with both palms and tilted her neck at a sharp angle.

Cinder was practiced; it was obvious from the way her fingers traced patterns on the younger girl's collarbones or grazed her fingernails in the hollows between her shoulder blades, but she could be rough, pull Ruby into her and anchor her hands between her own or kiss her like a flame meeting gasoline.

Ruby whimpered, as Cinder broke away from the kiss, impatient for the other woman's mouth against hers, but quickly quieted as Cinder pressed her lips down her jaw, slow, insistent grazes of her mouth until she reached Ruby's pulse. Ruby's veins were as blue as cornflowers, delicate pastel vessels that graced the line of her lily pale neck.

Cinder glanced up at Ruby, molten gaze lusty and half-lidded, before she kissed Ruby's pulse. Her hands were anchored on Ruby's waist, fingertips gracing the wings of her ribcage. Cinder's mouth was warm, slick from Ruby's tongue, but her movements were steady, as if she was engraving the outline of her mouth above Ruby's blood beat.

Her teeth grazed ever so slightly over a fluttering vein, and she paused, her movements painfully languid, and it wasn't until she could feel Ruby's heartbeat beneath her teeth that she moved.

Ruby's skin did nothing but poorly veil her boiling blood. Roses of her flush blossomed across the highest points of her cheeks and chest, and her palms felt painfully hot, pinpricks of fire decorating her hands like burns.

"C-Cinder…" Ruby stammered. Her heartbeat hammered under the pressure of Cinder's touch.

Cinder hummed in amusement, a slow rumble of vibration, before standing up to her full height. Cinder pressed her hands against the bookcase behind Ruby, and tilted her head down towards Ruby.

Her lips were inches away from Ruby's, and her breath came in low huffs across Ruby's.

"You should get going, darling. Your friends will start to think you're up to no good." Cinder drawled, and her voice was honeyed and thick, sliding across Ruby's skin.

Ruby nodded jaggedly, swallowing dryly.

"O-Okay."

Cinder smiled, sharp teeth shining from behind a painted mouth. Her hand slipped into Ruby's hair and brushed her lips along the younger girl's earlobe.

"Obedient pup, how I _adore_ you."

Cinder kissed Ruby's neck and smiled coyly, eyes glowing in delight.

She stepped away from the Huntress and walked away from the bookshelves, the only noises in the library the sound of Cinder's glass heels against tile and the soothing hum of an ancient grandfather clock.


	5. Chapter 5

Cinder pulled Ruby by one of her delicate hands through the empty hallways of Beacon. The corridors were bathed in midday sunset, and all students were in classes by now.

Ruby had been studying diligently before she asked to be excused. Her legs had begun to ache from sitting in the same spot for over an hour; every cell in her body wanted to hunt, but she settled for a quick walk to the lavatory.

As chance would have it, Ruby had encountered Cinder, and the older woman was guiding Ruby through the hallowed halls of Beacon.

"C-Cinder, I really think I should be getting back to class…" Ruby protested, but her words faltered when Cinder dragged one finger along the side of Ruby's hand.

"Come on, little jewel. Have a little fun."

They rushed through the hallways until they emerged outside. The air was balmy; summer refused to give way to fall, but Ruby was grateful. She had forgotten her blazer back at the dorms, and growing up with Yang had made her particularly sensitive to cold.

It was clear to Ruby that Cinder was bringing her to the exchange student dorms from the path she was taking. She could already feel half-formed sentences jamming up on her tongue, but Cinder was efficient in the worst ways possible.

Cinder led Ruby through the dorms and opened the door to her room, revealing a neatly kept dormitory and pressed linen sheets spread taut across a mass-manufactured mattress. The room was surprisingly bare, except for a few pieces of jewelry and a thick velvet choker resting against a dresser. It was obvious that Cinder kept things tidy, but the only thing of Ruby's mind was being reprimanded for missing class.

Ruby whined suddenly at the thought of getting in trouble, but the sound of frustration caught in her throat as Cinder shut the door and moved closer.

"It'll be alright, darling. Skipping a class once won't be the end of the world." Cinder's voice was as persuasive and attractive as ever, the miniscule lilts and inflections in her sentences making all the difference to reassure Ruby.

Ruby lowered her head in resignation and chuckled weakly.  
"I guess you're right."

Cinder lifted Ruby's hands in hers and placed them on her waist. Cinder pressed down on Ruby's limp fingertips, applying pressure just behind her own ribcage. A satisfied purr came from deep in Cinder, and she rolled into the tentative touch. Her eyes were half-lidded, molten irises disappearing under a fan of thick lashes.

"I don't believe I've ever seen a Huntress so timid before." Cinder groaned lowly as she pressed down onto Ruby's hands harder with her palms. The younger girl blushed to the tops of her freckled ears and Cinder grinned. "I suppose the art of seduction is nothing like slaying an Ursa, is it?"

Cinder rolled her hips in a slow circle, her hands wrapped around Ruby's. "How odd, though. Young and beautiful as you are, you seem to be far more practiced in the former."

Ruby took in a quivering breath. It was obvious she was on edge; the lines of her shoulders were drawn as taut as a bowstring.

"I haven't had a lot of experience with romance..." Ruby blushed and ducked her head in flush-faced shame.

Cinder smiled, full lips spreading to reveal her gleaming white teeth.

"It's never too late to learn, is it, Ruby?"

Ruby gazed up shyly at Cinder through her long lashes.

"I – I guess… I'm just a bit nervous…" Cinder smiled at the bashful girl in front of her, the pure image of a nymphet with eyes of liquid mercury and blood-flushed lips.

Ruby was adorably innocent, pure and guiltless. Most saw her virtue as a thing to be protected, upheld at all times, but to Cinder, Ruby was an enigma, a tempting challenge to see how far she could twist and bend, see the exact moment when an angel sacrificed her wings for a taste of sin.

Ruby was saccharine and childish; her only debatable transgressions involved cookie jars and curfews while what Cinder considered peccadillos on her part had left her favorite dress bloodied beyond repair.

"Then, allow me to instruct you first, darling. There'll be time for participation later." Cinder's croon was sweet and convincing and another roll of her hips had Ruby nodding her fervent agreement.

"Good girl." Cinder stepped away from Ruby and stripped off her blazer. The crushed velvet of the jacket was smoothed with an expert hand and draped across the back of her chair. She was left in her white button-down and plaid skirt.

"Lie down, darling. Make yourself comfortable." Cinder spoke nonchalantly, waving towards one of he beds. Ruby squeaked loudly, but obeyed nonetheless.

Cinder's bed smelled fiery. It wasn't unpleasant; on the contrary. It smelled like fragrant ash and singed flowers that still had traces of petal nectar in them. Ruby reclined stiffly, arms and legs rigid and firm.

It was fitting; everything about Cinder was strong and perfervid, and her bed was no exception. The smooth sheets gave way beneath Ruby, and her dark hair fanned on the ivory pillow behind her.

Cinder turned around from where she had been arranging her hair. It now sat in a high ponytail atop her head, revealing more of her curving cheekbones and graceful neck.

She laughed aloud; a melodious trickle of notes that sent Ruby's head swimming.

"I told you to get comfortable. Be a good girl, Ruby." Cinder's tone was light ad teasing, but there was something to it that lit a fire in Ruby's ribcage; it was a bonfire in milliseconds.

Ruby obeyed immediately – it was a gut instinct to please Cinder and she obeyed it _every_ time – and she relaxed her limbs so that she was no longer locked up.

It certainly felt odd; Ruby had once tested out Weiss's mattress for fun and had had sleepovers before, but being in Cinder's bed made her feel _different_. It made her feel mature and childish at the same time.

Cinder strode over to the bed and ducked into the bunk bed so that she sat with her knees folded under her, the picture of unfaltering elegance and grace.

"Don't fret, little one. I don't bite." Her smile was reassuring and winsome, and Ruby immediately relaxed. No, Cinder didn't bite, Ruby would know if she did by now, having had the older woman's tongue roaming her mouth for the past few days.

Cinder leaned forward on her hands and knees and stretched like a lazy cat. Her palms were planted on either side of Ruby's waist, finding purchase in the mattress beneath her.

Her eyes glowed like stoked coals in the dim shadow of the bunk beds, and Ruby gulped. Cinder looked ready to ignite, red lips stretched back into a wide smile and irises flickering feverishly.

Cinder pressed back onto her heels before leaning forward again. Her hands held her merely inches away from Ruby's stomach, the only shield from Cinder's lustful mouth a thin piece of fabric that could easily be disposed of.

"The first lesson that you must know, my dearest jewel, is the importance of sensation." Cinder's words were coated in salacious intent. One of her warm hands danced against Ruby's ribs before they ran down her waist, delicate flesh singing aloud under Cinder's expert touch.

Ruby sighed softly as Cinder's hands mapped a slow course across her stomach. Her eyes fluttered shut, dark lashes threatening to tamper with her eyesight. She didn't want to miss anything, from the slow movements of Cinder's limbs or the rise and fall of her chest.

Cinder crawled closer to her, her palms emblazoning fire into her skin with every subtle touch.

She inched forward until she replaced her knees in the divots of the mattress. Cinder hovered above Ruby, fingers dragging drowsy patterns on the younger girl's collarbones, watching amusedly as Ruby whined under her.

Ruby whimpered involuntarily as Cinder continued to outline her symbol just above her heart. Cinder smiled down at Ruby, and ducked her head down to capture Ruby's lips in an earned kiss.

Cinder grazed her teeth across Ruby's lower lip, licking over any miniature wounds she may have caused. Ruby moaned into the kiss, her lips parting at Cinder's will.

Ruby pressed her hands against Cinder's hips and squeezed at the smooth flesh beneath her fingers. The older woman bucked into the touch before pulling away to catch her breath.

Cinder paused before speaking slowly.

"You're certainly a fast learner, aren't you, sweet?" The slightest scintilla of color appeared across Cinder's chest and Ruby smiled bashfully up at her.

"Did I do well?" She asked timidly, eyes hopeful as Cinder looked down on her.

Cinder's lips parted into an easy smile.

"You did _wonderfully_, pet."


	6. Chapter 6

Weiss glanced at the door fervently, one immaculately filed fingernail tapping against smooth wood. Ruby had gone to use the restroom forty minutes ago, leaving behind a half-completed worksheet and an extremely irked partner. She should have been back in five minutes, and Weiss sighed in frustration. She tugged anxiously on a section of her bangs, silvery hair giving way under her fingers.

Ruby could be unbearably foolish at times, but this was on a whole new level. Weiss could feel her fingers curling into fists, pale palms flushed with blood that ran hot. She ground her shoes into the carpet beneath her; the pressure that ran up her legs was a welcome distraction from the anger that curled around her chest.

Five minutes were left in Oobleck's class but a sinking feeling in Weiss's stomach signaled that Ruby wasn't coming back.

The heiress sighed resignedly and slid Ruby's worksheet towards her. Her hand ached from finishing her own work but she began completing Ruby's poorly formed sentence, her lip clamped between her teeth.

Hopefully, Oobleck wouldn't notice the abrupt change from Ruby's tangled scrawl to Weiss's smooth cursive. Weiss's hand raced across the page. The questions were juvenile, and Ruby had answered most of them incorrectly, run on sentences and half-finished thoughts clustering the page into an unreadable mess. Weiss crossed out a few lines and started over, deliberate strokes of her pen against paper a complete contrast to the discordant frustration that coiled at the base of her throat.

Weiss's jaw clenched into a severe line. That dolt would never hear the end of this.

* * *

Blake stirred awake in the middle of the night. She rubbed at her eyes for a few minutes, Faunus ears flicking at the faintest sounds of footsteps outside their door. She glanced lazily at the clock on their bedside table: 3:51. Curfew began at midnight, and Professor Goodwitch patrolled the hallways every night.

Blake frowned and sat up, drawing her legs closer into her chest, The footsteps were getting closer, and the sound of a Scroll ID system buzzing someone in made Blake tilt her head. She glanced quickly up at the bunk bed diagonal from hers.

It wasn't Ruby, surely. The Huntress would be asleep by now; she was the furthest thing from a night owl and became petulant and cranky after her normal bedtime. And Ruby, sweet innocent Ruby, would never risk getting caught by Glynda. Besides, there was no reason or motivation for Ruby to roaming Beacon in the middle of the night.

The door opened slowly, snapping Blake from her thoughts with a low creak of hinges and soft, light footsteps crunching across dark carpet.

Blake drew in an instinctive breath; no matter how hard she tried to eradicate the primal sliver of her DNA, the feline in her always scented the air first to identify her surroundings.

Sticky sweetness, layered with laundry detergent and coated with strawberries met Blake's senses; it was comfortable, familiar Ruby. But there was something dusted over it; a subtle bite that sat at the back of the Faunus's throat like a gag. It was sharp and nearly metallic; the skeletal tendrils of a forest fire, and something else – Blake could smell _something_ but it was faint – musky and smooth like amber liquor.

Blake's throat ran dry when she realized what it was.

Lust.

"Ruby?"

The footsteps stopped and Ruby's voice came, tentative and soft in the moonlit room.

"Blake?"

"Ruby, are you alright? What're you doing?"

There was a pregnant pause, and Blake nearly repeated herself before Ruby answered.

"I'm fine, Blake. I was just at the library." The words came croaky and twisted from Ruby's throat, the voice of someone who was exhausted and sleep-deprived.

Blake paused. That voice, torn and rough around the edges with hard bites – this wasn't Ruby. Blake knew that voice from first hand experience; the throaty rumble of displeasure that had replaced her own cool and meticulous articulation for a few debilitating weeks.

Ruby was always chipper and bright, filled to the brim with excitement and joy, and it certainly didn't help that she had come home dusted with the scent of arousal. It was a woman's; a man's was far more distinguishable from the delicate scents of a female's stimulated libido.

But this scent was different in all the wrong ways, it was jagged and dark and decadent like spiced wine, and it felt _wrong_. It didn't feel right that Ruby, young beyond her years and puerile to the point of immaturity, had the essence of a concupiscent mistress pressed into her skin.

"All right… Good night, Ruby." Blake said quietly, running a hand through her dark hair and settling down once more. Her stomach felt tight with anxiousness.

She could hear Ruby getting ready for bed, but by the time the younger girl had settled down, Blake's eyes were wide open, fixed on the wall to her side.

Her lips were pressed into a firm line, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

* * *

Yang yawned loudly as she walked out of Port's lecture with her team. Weiss had been allowed to leave early as she had finished all of the coursework, but Blake and Ruby had been forced to sit through the droll lecture for an entire hour.

"Man, that was a drag. Who wants to go train a little? I've got some new ammo that I've been itching to try out." Yang slung a lazy arm around Blake's neck, and the Faunus smiled softly at the gesture.

"What d'ya think, sis? You in or you out?" Yang turned to look at Ruby, walking backwards with her arm still wrapped around her partner. Blake wrapped her hand over Yang's and kept walking, tugging Yang lightly when the blonde tried to stop.

Ruby slouched under the weight of her book bag and yawned wearily.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna go nap. I'm really tired." Blake shot a knowing glance over her shoulder but remained silent. She didn't want to address the situation in such a public place, and may be after she had prepared something more eloquent than _I think your sister's fucking someone_ _and she's not telling you._

Yang's face fell but she nodded anyways. "Alright. You feeling okay, Ruby?"

Ruby nodded dazedly and rubbed at her eyes.

"I'm just… tired."

The younger girl waved at her teammates and set off along the hall by herself, with Blake and Yang watching over her before she disappeared around a corner.

"Do you think she's alright?" Blake asked tentatively, glancing sideways at Yang, who looked contemplative. The blonde's eyebrows were drawn and her lips were pursed, but she spoke confidently.

"Ruby's a big girl now. She doesn't need me watching over her every movement. I trust her."

Yang smiled a bit sadly but nudged Blake's arm.

"C'mon! Let's go train. Our Bumbleby formation is going to be so much better with these grenades!"

* * *

"Long time no see, little jewel."

Ruby was yanked behind a bookshelf by the collar of her shirt, but she was ready for the kiss that came soon after. She pressed one hand flush against Cinder's chest and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling the older woman towards her.

Cinder's pale hand found Ruby's throat, pressed her palm against the hollow of her neck. It was an ancient sign of dominance and ownership, but Ruby found herself craving the touch. It was a warning, in a way, to stay in line and slow down, and Ruby obeyed willingly, wilting under Cinder's coaxing touches.

Ruby pulled away from the kiss and allowed Cinder to kiss her neck, scarlet lips wrapping around translucent skin and a smooth tongue circling miniscule drawings across a pale canvas.

Cinder licked between Ruby's collarbones, taut skin quivering as she blew a breath of cool air across the wake of her hot tongue. Ruby laughed breathily as Cinder scattered kisses along the strip of skin above her blouse, her hand circling the nape of Cinder's neck.

Cinder pressed down on Ruby's collar, thumbing the starched material and humming interestedly.

She tugged, hard, and Ruby tumbled forward, hands searching for grip and finding purchase on Cinder's waist.

"You're late." Cinder frowned, kissing underneath Ruby's jaw.

"I'm sorry… I wasn't feeling well before." Ruby stole a quick kiss from Cinder's open mouth as an apology.

"Are you under the weather, little one? Poor thing." Cinder kissed Ruby's button nose, doting on the younger girl who curled into her.

"I'm alright now that I'm with you."

Ruby pulled Cinder down and kissed her, arching into Cinder's grip on her hips. Cinder chuckled into the kiss and backed Ruby against the wall, one hand circling a pale thigh.

The ancient grandfather clock hummed and sang out the time of one o'clock, but its announcement fell onto deaf ears, and quiet returned to the library, a few stray moans and whimpers lost in a sea of books.


	7. Chapter 7

Cinder's tongue dragged across Ruby's inner thigh, dragging a section of skin into her mouth and sucking a hickey onto the delicate flesh. The Huntress moaned in delight, writhing in the pure sensation of Cinder's touch. Dark nails pinned Ruby to the bed to keep her secure, the sharp edges of manicured talons digging into yielding flesh.

"Don't stop…" Ruby panted, squeezing her eyes in anticipation.

Cinder's hand reached up to cup her chin, fingers warm and smooth against the hollow of her jaw. Ruby's skirt was flipped up to her stomach and Cinder was staring intently into her eyes, stygian pupils blown out in lust.

"Don't close your eyes, little jewel."

Cinder's mouth traveled down slowly, and her tongue was hot against Ruby's skin –

Ruby woke up with her hand to her mouth. Her skin was flushed, petals of arousal blossoming on her chest and neck. She ducked her head in embarrassment at the dream; she had never experienced anything of the sort before, and she felt like she had done something terribly lascivious. Her legs prickled with warmth and heat, but she ignored the feeling to gaze down at the dorm room.

Blake and Weiss sat on the Faunus's bed, papers and pens neatly organized before them. Weiss was showing Blake her Scroll, gesturing to a battle strategy application she had downloaded on her device. Blake observed with pursed lips, and began to speak before she sniffed the air faintly.

Her eyes swiveled to Ruby, who looked down from the top bunk. She looked rosy and sheepish. Ruby was pumping out potent pheromones into the air and smelled like – god _dammit_. This wasn't the first time Blake had smelled arousal in the dorm – wet dreams happened to everyone, and hell, Yang was almost _always_ turned on – but this was different.

This was Ruby, who probably closed her eyes when actors kissed in a movie.

"Happy weekend, Ruby." Blake spoke stiffly. She had tried to speak to Yang about the late night encounter she had had with the team's captain, but every opportunity to do so had slipped through her fingers like sand. Blake wanted to believe that Ruby had bumped into a couple in the hallways on her way back from the library, and was trying to convince herself that Ruby would never be involved in anything lewd.

"Hey, Blake." Ruby's voice came out a few octaves higher and her blush deepened. "Where's Yang?"

"She's showering. You just missed her."

Weiss's eyes remained fixated on her Scroll throughout the entire exchange, cyan irises concentrating on a loading image as if it were an ancient scroll she was trying to sear into her memory. Weiss hadn't spoken to the younger girl after she had abandoned her worksheet and skipped out on class. Weiss was still furious and Ruby had apologized endlessly, but the heiress was relentlessly ignoring her.

"Good morning, Weiss." Ruby offered hesitantly. Weiss slid off Blake's bed and promptly walked out the door, Scroll in hand. Ruby watched her leave, her bottom lip clamped between her teeth.

"Did you sleep well?" Blake spoke nonchalantly, shuffling her papers onto her thigh and placing them in her binder.

Ruby's blush crawled up her ears and she nodded quickly, dark hair falling around her chin in jagged pieces. Blake put away her binder and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"I'm gonna go check on Weiss." Blake slipped on her shoes and had her hand on the doorknob when Ruby called out to her.

"Blake? Can you tell Weiss I'm really sorry? She won't run away from you…" Ruby sounded so childish that Blake smiled sadly.

"Of course, Ruby." Blake watched as Ruby wrung her hands in her lap. "Don't worry. She'll forgive you soon."

"Thanks, Blake." Ruby said, silver eyes meeting amber. "I really appreciate it."

Blake flashed another small smile at Ruby and walked out the door.

* * *

Ruby squeezed past a group of visiting students that crowded the hall of their exchange dorms, suddenly grateful for her short stature. She threw a quick apology over her shoulder after she hustled past them, racing down the rest of the hall. She counted the room numbers until she reached the one she was looking for.

Ruby bounced her knuckles off of the door a few times, squirming in place while waiting for Cinder. She could hear footsteps drawing closer to the door.

A woman opened it instead of Cinder, and her bright red eyes scanned Ruby critically before she walked out, low-heels digging into the carpet of the hall with more force than necessary. Two tendrils of green hair hung around her waist while the rest of it grazed the clenched line of her jaw.

Ruby watched the stranger stalk down the hall before a voice called her out of her trance.

"What a surprise. I thought we were meeting in the library later tonight, pet." Cinder leaned against the doorway of her room, dark hair pulled into a ponytail atop her head. She wore a dark brassiere that showed off her cleavage and high-waisted shorts, a few inches of creamy skin visible between the waistband of her pants and bralette.

"W-We are; I just wanted to drop by and say hey." Ruby blinked. The black straps of Cinder's bra cut into the creamy dips of her shoulders, and layers of lace clung to her pale chest in floral designs. Cinder leaned out of the hallway and searched for what Ruby had been enraptured. Her hair brushed against Ruby's cheek – warm smoke filled her nose – and Cinder withdrew just as Ruby started to stutter.

"That's Emerald."

Ruby chuckled nervously and blushed.

"She seems kinda scary…"

Cinder cocked her head curiously and smiled.

"She's very sweet when you get to know her. Come in." Cinder pressed her hand against the small of Ruby's back when the younger girl entered her room. The older woman shut the door behind her and swept past Ruby, picking up a few stray pieces of clothing and tossing them into her laundry bin.

"I would have cleaned up if I knew you were coming." Cinder said teasingly, shutting a textbook and perching on her desk. She smiled warmly, eyes shining with amusement. Ruby was blushing and ducking her head in an adorably endearing way. It probably didn't help that Cinder wasn't wearing a top, but the dorm was hot during the days and Cinder liked seeing Ruby with a little color on her cheeks.

Ruby looked up at Cinder with bright tears glimmering in her eyes. Her stomach coiled in anxiousness and her hands shook. She looked incredibly guilty and forlorn, the exact likeness of a kicked puppy.

"What's wrong, darling?" Cinder stood immediately, one hand cupping Ruby's cheek. Her voice was a soothing croon and Ruby stared at the ground ashamedly.

"It's nothing." Ruby hiccupped and shook as Cinder hugged her.

"There, there, pet. It can't be 'nothing' if it's made you _this_ upset. Now. Tell me what's wrong. " Cinder tilted Ruby's head up gently, lips pouted as she sympathized with the younger girl. Ruby sniffled and whispered quietly, as if her shame was too horrible to speak of normally.

"I-I had a dream a-and you were in it." The words sounded foolish even to Ruby, and she immediately regretted opening her mouth. Cinder didn't laugh or get infuriated like Ruby thought she would. In fact, Cinder looked unfazed.

Cinder dragged her thumb along Ruby's chin and frowned a little.

"And what was I doing in this dream of yours?" Her voice was conversational and quiet, fingers splaying along the line of Ruby's jaw.

"Y-You were…" Ruby buried her head into her hands and blushed. "I can't even say it."

Cinder smiled down at the girl. She was naïve – she couldn't even address her own desire. Cinder smoothed Ruby's blouse and shushed her.

"Of course you can, pet. What was I doing?" Cinder coaxed Ruby, fingertips light against the younger girl's milky skin.

Ruby lifted her head hesitantly, staring wide-eyed at Cinder in near reverence. Her bottom lip was trembling; Cinder glanced at the pink flesh of her mouth and ran her fingers over it before moving to her collarbones.

"You were… touching me." Ruby whispered. Cinder's fingers paused on their journey to Ruby's waist and continued on. Cinder hummed before settling her hands over Ruby's ribs.

"I see." Cinder pursed her lips before speaking. "Now, I think this dream happened for one of two reasons. The first reason could be that it was complete nonsense that your slumbering mind made up for pure entertainment."

Cinder slid her hand along Ruby's back and tugged her closer. Ruby arched into the contact and whimpered high in her throat. Ruby's lashes fluttered against the peaks of her cheekbones when Cinder dragged her nails along her spine. She swayed tipsily at the feeling of Cinder's warm palm against her waist.

"Or two… you want me to touch you like I did in your dream."

Ruby's eyes flew open in panic but Cinder calmed her with a kiss to her throat. Ruby's pulse fluttered in excitement and Cinder licked over her lipstick mark, her tongue hot against Ruby's skin.

"Which do you think it is, little jewel?" Cinder purred as her hands traced Ruby's hipbones. Ruby's hips rolled with the rise and fall of the older woman's fingers, Cinder's heady scent and her own lust sending her brain into an instinctive daze.

Ruby wrapped her arms around Cinder's neck and whimpered into the woman's ear, her voice thick with ardor and attraction.

"I want you to touch me."

Cinder suckled a wet mark onto Ruby's neck, pulling back strands of dark hair to get a clear view. Her tongue laved over the blossoming bruise as consolation to the sting of her teeth and pressed a kiss under Ruby's ear. Ruby moaned breathily and angled her head; most of her hair falling over her shoulder while Cinder kissed the other.

"_Good girl._"

Cinder moved with a purpose, pulling Ruby up so that the Huntress could wrap her legs around her waist. Cinder captured Ruby's petal pink mouth with hers, drank them dry of nectar, and set the Huntress on the bottom bunk. Ruby was already panting, cheeks burning bright red, and Cinder brushed her hands over them. The warmth of her fingers only added to the fervor brewing under Ruby's skin.

Cinder slid on top of Ruby, legs folded under her. Her long fingers brushed under Ruby's jaw, trailing down the front of her buttoned blouse and flicking idly at the wide buttons. Ruby pressed her hand over Cinder's as it roamed, jumping from the sliver of skin at the part of her top, or the purpled marks she had bitten into a pale neck.

Ruby led Cinder's hand to the crest of her throat, the older woman's fingers heavy against her pulse. There was no pressure, merely a weight resting against Ruby's windpipe. She went starry-eyed for a few seconds, blinking hastily as Cinder's other hand traced her stomach.

"Are you sure you would like to continue, sweetling?" Cinder's voice was hoarse in the electric energy that surrounded them and Ruby nodded fervently, affirmations and pleas tangling off of her tongue into nonsensical words.

Cinder bent her neck to kiss the Huntress, her fingers unbuttoning Ruby's blouse and the other reaching to cup her hips –

Ruby's Scroll shrilled wildly from her pockets, the alert of a new call sending Cinder gasping from surprise. Ruby gave a breathless groan of exasperation and shut her eyes before reaching for her Scroll. She glanced at the caller ID; a candid photo of Weiss laughing while Yang gesticulates in the background; and hastily clicked accepts.

"Come to the library right now – we're having a group study session with JNPR." Weiss's voice came clipped and formal, anything but kind. Ruby had forgotten about Weiss and about everyone else; how could she when Cinder was kissing her neck?

"Uh – um, um – " Ruby struggled for a response, trying to create an excuse that would placate Weiss, but the frustrated growl on the other end forced Ruby to back down.

"If you get here in five minutes, I'll talk to you again." Weiss's voice was resigned but irritated, and it was clear that she was tapping her heel against the library tile floor.

Ruby tried to say goodbye but Weiss had already ended the call. The Scroll's screen faded to black in Ruby's palm and she gazed sheepishly at Cinder, who looked amused to no end.

"Do you have to go?" There was no annoyance in the woman's voice, only the slightest tinge of laughter.

Ruby nodded and Cinder slipped off of her. She helped Ruby up and smoothed out the rumpled collar of the girl's shirt. Two buttons had already been undone, but Cinder redid them patiently. She patted down Ruby's hair and smiled slyly at her.

"Maybe fate will be kinder to you next time, petal." White teeth cut sharply into a stunning smile before Cinder opened the door.

Ruby walked out into the hallway and turned to gaze at Cinder incredulously.

"There's gonnabe a _next time_?"

Cinder pulled Ruby in for a last kiss, all teeth and tongue and Ruby yelped as Cinder pulled away.

"If you behave."


	8. Chapter 8

Cinder's breath was warm against the delicate curve of Ruby's neck, her smooth skin falling prey to absent presses of vermillion lips. Ruby fit into the curve of Cinder's body like a graceful doe, her head bowed as she leaned into the warmth of the woman's shapely body. Cinder's arms looped around her waist, the softest comfort of skin lulling her into a comfortable drowsiness.

Ruby's day had been stressful; the impromptu study session had been long and the phantom feeling of Cinder's fingers splayed across her unbuttoned blouse made her cheeks burn. Blake had cast her a few looks, concern and suspicion masked by a single glance of large amber eyes. Ruby had stolen away in the dead of night, and Cinder had welcomed her into her room, and worries seemed to melt away as Cinder's lips strayed along Ruby's neck.

Ruby had been nervous – she wasn't sure if Cinder had been teasing her about a next time – another time when her honeyed breath was scorching against her shoulder blades or her pulse, and her fingers were straying along her bare thighs. Cinder hadn't seemed to be eager to undress Ruby, opting for physical touches and soft kisses instead.

Ruby turned to face Cinder, lashes gently fluttering when Cinder blew a teasing breath of warm air into her face. The younger girl's fingers crawled aimlessly up Cinder's chest, warm skin soft against her hands. Cinder smiled and slipped an absent thumb under the hem of Ruby's shirt. Her finger was a brand of possession above Ruby's hipbone, the faintest pressure making Ruby arch instinctively.

"What are you thinking about, Little Red?" Cinder asked, rolling her thumb so that Ruby whimpered involuntarily.

Cinder's finger found its way pressed against the swell of Ruby's slick lip, pressing onto the plump flesh in contemplation. Ruby gazed at Cinder – the older woman's face was curious and interested – parting Ruby's mouth like forcing petals apart. Ruby poked her tongue past her lips, and licked a cautious strip along the pad of Cinder's finger. It was tentative and careful, and Ruby forced herself to hold Cinder's fiery gaze.

"_You."_

In an instant, Cinder was hovering above Ruby like a succubus waiting to feed. Her lips were slanted across Ruby's awaiting ones, her tongue licking teasing strips across Ruby's lip. Ruby's tongue stuttered against hers at the feather-light strokes, but Cinder cupped her cheeks, pilling the girl into the pressure of her lips.

Ruby whimpered and laced her fingers behind the nape of Cinder's neck, propping herself against the headrest of Cinder's bed. She moaned when Cinder's fingers pressed against her pulse, the lacing of her windpipe tightening and forcing a gasp out of her mouth.

Ruby turned her head and pressed Cinder's neck against her neck, and Cinder nibbled at the flesh behind her jaw. It was gentle and teasing, a playful press of teeth against soft skin. A mindless string of words spilled out of Ruby's mouth, disappearing into the collar of her blouse. She clamped down on her lip – it was easy to forget that people were sleeping when Cinder's mouth was mapping wet kisses across the hollow of her throat. Ruby arched – her spine curved as she tossed her neck back carelessly. A flimsy whimper caught heavy on her tongue, but Cinder reached up, her finger catching on Ruby's lip before another fumble of words could come out.

It was a distracted, sort of vague gesture, tracing divots along Ruby's mouth and tugging gently until Ruby was breathing hard huffs of air against Cinder's skin. Cinder's mouth was dragging along the exposed line of her collarbones, the ripe scarlet of her mouth leaving soft marks on the lily-white skin of Ruby's collarbones.

Cinder smelled _warm_, musky and flowery and sweet like burning honeysuckle, and the fire in her eyes was inescapable, the molten gold of her irises boring into the pure silver of Ruby's. Cinder's nails, dark as the color of spiced wine, clicked jaggedly along Ruby's teeth. She traced the curving bow of Ruby's upper lip, thumbnail digging bluntly into the thin skin.

Ruby licked another strip across the side of Cinder's finger, moaning around the pressure against the tip of her tongue, and continued to lave on the finger until she heard Cinder's husky laugh.

Ruby gazed dazedly down at Cinder, who raked her fingers down the ridges and curves of her ribcage in turn.

"How… curious. Perhaps the little rose has grown thorns in turn."

Ruby's chest heaved at the pressure of Cinder's thumb toying her with her lip and blinked before shutting her eyes in ecstasy.

She could stay here with Cinder – all warm skin and full lips and playful, dark humor, and in the morning, Ruby would be innocent and sweet once more, as if Cinder's fingers had never been hooked in her mouth. Ruby reached up to touch Cinder's hand, and pressed a kiss to her palm.

She prayed that the sun would rise a few hours later, just to savor the touch of Cinder's mouth heavy against her stomach. Ruby bit down on her lip and rolled her hips. Morning could wait – she was here with Cinder, and that's all that mattered for now.


	9. Chapter 9

Blake tugged on the edges of her hair, teeth edging along the inside of her cheek. She sat cross-legged on Yang's bunk, her partner's hand running along the curve of her spine. Weiss was already asleep, her back to the two and head buried in her pillow. Ruby was showering – their team leader had become nocturnal in the past few weeks. She suddenly preferred the midnights to the mornings, and Blake could her hear breathing restlessly late at night.

Yang reclined on her side, head propped up on her clenched fist. Bandages looped around her knuckles – Ember Celica always managed to reopen the scars from the blonde's schoolyard brawls. Yang bent her knees, nudging Blake closer to her. Blake glanced distractedly at her and blinked.

"What's going on?" Yang murmured, her fingers running along Blake's kneecap. Blake shuddered and straightened at the sensation and slumped over once more.

"Nothing… It's nothing."

Blake hadn't told Yang about Ruby's scent – the younger Huntress's sugary scent had long been replaced with the darkest tones of lust pressed like fragrance into her school uniforms. Blake knew that Yang would go on a witch-hunt at the first mention of Ruby's sexual innocence.

Yang leaned closer into Blake, kissing Blake's leg in an endearing fashion.

"C'mon, kitty cat. Tell me what's up." Her voice was softer, gentler. "You can tell me anything, you know that." Yang took a closer look at Blake's drawn expression, the purse of her lips and pinch of her brow. "But… I understand if you don't want to. I won't force you." Yang sat up in one fluid movement, arms cocooning Blake.

"I love you, you know that."

"I love you too."

Blake tilted her head up to kiss Yang; it was sweet and loving and made Blake feel like a fuse lit on fire – fiery and ready to burst. Blake's fingers clutched at the front of Yang's pajama top, pulling the blonde closer into her touch.

Blake let Yang press her into the mattress, laughing lopsidedly when Yang nuzzled at the strip of skin carved out from the obsidian of her yukata. Yang pulled Blake down for another kiss – longer this time, allowing Blake to fit her hands into the dip of Yang's waist.

The all-too loud noise of the door closing brought Blake back to reality, not a perfect moment in eternity when Yang was kissing her like she was fire and they were both meant to burn.

Ruby shuffled across the room to her bunk bed, head dipped low in embarrassment. Blake batted Yang away as the blonde tried again for another languorous kiss, jutting her chin towards Ruby, who was curling up under her blankets into the fetal position. The younger girl had walked in on much worse before, but each encounter was as embarrassing as the first. Yang pecked Blake on the cheek and faced Ruby's bunk.

"Sorry about that, sis. You know I can't keep my hands off Blakey over here."

A muffled "It's fine," came from underneath the mound of blankets.

Blake giggled when Yang silently asked for permission to kiss her again – the softest brush of her forehead against Blake's left the Faunus wanting more. The blonde's hand draped over hers as their mouths met in comfortable contact.

The smallest shred of rational thought piped up in the back of Blake's mind, reminding her that Ruby might be up to no good, and that Yang would figure out sooner or later. The overruling part of Blake's judgment was tipped in Yang's favor when the blonde's fingers looped lazily in the knot around Blake's waist, pulling her under the cover of blankets, where the rest of the dorm was obstructed by fabric and flowered seams.

* * *

"I don't understand the purpose of this… girl, ma'am." Emerald's voice was desperately clinging to a shred of courteousness; she had once seen Cinder knock out a man for dismissing her authority and preferred to stay on the more enjoyable side of consciousness. "She's a liability – if the plan works, she'll just – "

"_When_ the plan works, Emerald." Cinder's voice was airy, but it was laced with the promise of barbed wire if Emerald overstepped her boundaries. Emerald had always been intuitive – she instinctively bowed her head and muttered a dry, "Of course," before lacing her fingers behind her back.

"I just don't know what to think of her, ma'am. What _you_ see of her." Emerald spoke, more to herself than Cinder.

Cinder looked up interestedly from her perch on the windowsill. A dwindling cigarette sat between her fingertips, red lipstick marking it at the filter. An amused scoff sparked at the high peak of her throat, one casual hand reaching up to flick black hair away from her eyes.

"Don't tell me you're _jealous_, Emerald. Truly, I expected more."

Emerald blushed furiously and tried to speak before Cinder lifted her hand. It was instantaneous; Emerald was muzzled and contained like a pet dog with one careless gesture.

Cinder took a quick drag, releasing the veiling smoke through the side of her mouth. The cigarette rested between her lips and dangled precariously as the woman stood, bare feet feather-light against the carpet. Emerald gazed at Cinder through kohl-dipped lashes, immediately ashamed and bashful at her silent reprimand.

Cinder strode over to Emerald, one swift hand brushing across the younger woman's shoulder blades. Emerald nearly buckled under the sudden heat of Cinder's fingertips against her skin; it felt more like a slash of a dagger than a drag of fingers. Cinder's half-formed leer went unnoticed as Emerald forced herself to stand upright.

Cinder rested her forearm against Emerald's shoulder, fingers toying with the halterneck of her harness in an abstracted way. Even the _scent_ of Cinder made Emerald light-headed, all of her warmth and contained power – it had sent her into an infatuation that she had never really outgrown.

Cinder plucked the cigarette from her lips and stood so that her arms were almost wrapped around Emerald, like a python waiting to strangle weak prey. Her hands could stray downwards at any moment to pop at the closure of Emerald's top, or put out her cigarette at the base of Emerald's ribcage.

"You shouldn't be jealous, Emerald." Cinder's tone was dry, simple and factual; all of her usual slick decorum had been stripped away to bare bones. "You think I'm being foolish – that I'm spending too much time fraternizing with the enemy – " Cinder laughed throatily, and the smell of cigarette smoke rested against Emerald's pulse – "but let me assure you: I have not forgotten the mission. I will _never _forget the mission. And all you have to do…."

Cinder reached forward, placing her half-smoked cigarette in full display in her curved hand, and brought it Emerald's lips. Emerald accepted it – she would accept the cruelest fate if it meant Cinder would approve of her– and took a long drag.

"…is trust me."

Cinder brought the cigarette back to her own mouth, one hand tracing a section of warmth directly under Emerald's collar. Emerald let the smoke out with a shaky breath, eyes threatening to water with the sting of flowered tobacco.

"Can you do this for me, Emerald?"

Emerald took a quavering breath, the unmistakable rattle of her ribs sending another spark of anxiety into her bones. Cinder had not disappeared like a shadowed specter. Her flesh was still hot against Emerald's, and she awaited an answer, patient as ever.

"Yes." Emerald's answer was breathless; it was as if it had been wrung out of her. "Yes, I can. I'd do anything for you, I swear."

Cinder laughed faintly and released Emerald from her light clutches. She finished off the cigarette with practiced grace, tapping ash onto the carpet as if the hallways of Beacon were hers already.

"I always knew you were a clever girl, Emerald." Cinder smiled and pushed her hair over her shoulder, a waved tendril of onyx resting just above her eye. "Run along now – I've a long day ahead of me."

Emerald nodded.

"Of course, ma'am."

Emerald walked towards the door, but just as she opened the door, Cinder spoke once more.

"You didn't know what I see in Ruby, Emerald? Perhaps it's exactly what I see in you. _Potential_." Cinder lit another cigarette and smiled vaguely. "Good night, Emerald."

Emerald pursed her lips and opened the door.

"Good night, ma'am.


	10. Chapter 10

Ruby pulled a stale block of bubblegum from the pocket of her hoodie, eyes widening in delight at the small treasure before popping the wad into her mouth. She worked furiously on the piece of gum, ignoring the faintest taste of lint that lingered along her tongue.

Ruby walked aimlessly, veering side to side as she shuffled along the cobblestones of Beacon. Weekends were nice –it wasn't often that she had time to herself. Every minute of her life was with her team or training partners or Grimm or friends or – a nervous giggle bubbled from the base of Ruby's throat.

Cinder.

Cinder seemed to be ever present in the grand scheme of Ruby's mind, pressed and stung into her thoughts and daydreams. The sun was rising – gentle light glimmering blandly through a patchwork of clouds. Ruby dug her hands deeper into her hoodie – morning chill crawled down her spine in sprightly jumps.

Ruby hadn't been getting much sleep lately. She was never tired at the right times and she had found that the training room was emptier at four in the morning. Slipping out of her dorm room at night had become practiced habit – it had been almost crucial that she left after watching her sister kiss Blake all gentle and sweet and soft.

It wasn't that she was grossed out by the contact; Yang had had boyfriends and girlfriends over all the time at their house on Patch, and she had been exposed to a lot more than kissing if she walked into her sister's room to search for a hair tie at the wrong moment.

It was more about the quiet calm of their touches – Blake and Yang moved like lazy lawn cats in the sun, stretching and warming their skin with each other's. The phantom feeling of Cinder's fingers in her mouth made Ruby shudder. At the exact instance when Cinder was sucking a mark onto her skin, nothing else mattered and Ruby wouldn't have cared if the entire congregation of Vale watched her writhe and moan under Cinder. But in the sudden chill of Cinder's absence, shame dripped along the fingerprints on her thighs and guilt curled around the pit of her stomach like a commanding grip.

Ruby blew out a shaky breath and took off in a flurry of rose petals.

Cinder sat upright in her bunk, gazing outside her half-curtained window. The sun rose slowly, muddied spectrums of light dusting parts of her dorm room in abstract patterns and shapes. A lit cigarette was pressed between her lips, a cloud of smoke shrouding her eyes in a weak parody of a funeral veil. Cinder fiddled with her lighter, fingers searching out the thumbwheel by muscle memory.

A flame burst alive in a sleepy corona, its spine slowly straightening when Cinder blew along the sides of it. The tips of the spark began to burn blue, searching for anything to latch onto and consume whole.

A knock came from outside her door, and Cinder extinguished the flame and sent the lighter into a pile of creased blankets. Cinder reached up to take a drag and stood to check on her visitor.

She opened the door halfway – she was only dressed in a bralette and sleep shorts – when Ruby collapsed into her, arms locked around her waist like an anchor. Cinder gasped softly and laughed around her cigarette, closing the door with her foot.

Cinder walked backwards, running her fingers through Ruby's hair and tugging on the ends a bit. Cinder fell onto her bed with the Huntress attached to her, and she set to work to pry Ruby of her waist.

When Ruby was detached from her waist and propped against a bedpost, Cinder smiled lazily. She tapped the ashes from her cigarette with a crooked finger and brought it to her mouth again.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, little rose?" Cinder asked, her voice husky with the traces of nicotine along her lungs. Cinder ran a hand through her hair and yawned, shoulders concaving forwards until her bra straps threatened to slip.

Ruby's fingers slipped together into a white-knuckled cluster.

"Cinder – I – I'm not being _bad_, right?" Ruby asked suddenly, her voice stilted with uncertainty.

Cinder blinked, taken aback, and tilted her head to the left, onyx hair falling rumpled along her shoulder blades and curling around her cheek. She took a hasty drag before speaking again; smoke curling out of her mouth like frost.

"Whatever do you mean, sweetling?"

Ruby stood and began to pace the worn carpet of Cinder's dorm room.

"I don't want to be a bad person. I – I feel like I've been sneaking around a lot, and I feel _guilty_ but I don't know what for. I j-just don't like feeling like this." The last word broke off in Ruby's mouth like a glass shard, and tears glimmered in the younger girl's eyes.

Ruby glanced back at Cinder. It was clear the Huntress was desperate for some sort of validation that she was still good inside. Cinder clucked her tongue in a quiet way, lips pursed in worry.

"Come here, pet."

When Ruby faltered, Cinder clamped the rest of her cigarette between her teeth and grabbed one of Ruby's trembling hands in her steady one. Cinder dragged Ruby onto her lap, fingers finding the strip of skin where the younger girl's shirt rucked up around her waist. Ruby reacted immediately, turning herself around in Cinder's lap to face the older woman.

It was a deadly cocktail of instinct and practice – pleasing Cinder was second nature to Ruby, and every word of praise that she received was infectious and dizzying.

Cinder smiled – the rise in the girl's courage had been amusing to watch, the way her fingers began to take claim of skin as if it were own was the perfect payoff after constant weeks and days of coaxing and teasing and seduction.

Ruby nuzzled against Cinder's cheek, leaving behind a trail of damp tears as she kissed her temple.

"I don't wanna be bad, Cinder." Ruby whispered, pulling back to face Cinder. "I'm not… right?" Cinder made a noise of sympathy and brushed Ruby's hair behind her ears.

Her cigarette had found itself in a precarious hold between her index and middle finger, but Cinder sought out another draw before blowing the smoke into perfect ringlets toward the ceiling.

"Poor petal. Of course you're not a bad girl – I don't think you could be bad if you tried. As long as you're enjoying yourself, I think you're as good as good gets." Cinder tugged on Ruby's chin with her thumb, the slightest jerk to part Ruby's mouth.

Cinder's smile was wicked in the hazy light of the room. She placed her half-finished cigarette between Ruby's lips, upper lip curling in delight as Ruby gasped. A draft of smoke billowed in her mouth, forcing its way into her lungs and squeezing in a death grip.

Ruby coughed, leaning forward to spill the air out of her mouth, and her eyes watered painfully. But Ruby forced herself upright and blew out a shaky waver of smoke. Cinder smiled in delight.

"But then again…" Cinder retrieved her cigarette and kissed Ruby so hard that the younger girl saw stars. "What's so fun about being good?"


	11. Chapter 11

The library was lit in candlelight, bookshelves and narrow walkways bathed in warm golden light. The full hall lights had been shut off a few hours ago, and candelabras sat in precarious ledges. The small section of the library had been abandoned for a private study room, and the seclusion led Ruby and Cinder to have more freedom with their trysts.

Cinder's mouth pressed soft kisses to Ruby's jaw, the languorous movements sending liquid warmth through Ruby's veins. Cinder pulled Ruby's leg to hook around her waist, the Huntress's short plaid skirt pulled taut across her thighs at the movement. The seam of her thigh high socks was in full view, the library's candlelight casting a warm glow along the embellished stockings.

Ruby wrapped her arms around Cinder's neck, hands grasped around her own elbows, as she pressed closer into Cinder. Ruby whimpered breathily – Cinder's thigh pressed between the part of her legs in a gentle coax – and she dug her fingers into her own arms. Ruby's heart fluttered in her chest; Cinder's skin was warm and yielding between her legs.

"Kiss me."

Ruby's voice was breathy and a shudder in the quiet of the library, but Cinder dragged her close, happy to oblige.

The kiss was greedy, Ruby's teeth dragging across the intrusive lash of Cinder's tongue in her mouth. Ruby moaned appreciatively and pushed herself up onto a nearby desk. She leaned back against the wall, kissing along Cinder's neck. Cinder pushed closer into the contact, moaning her approval as the younger girl kissed her skin in worship. Cinder's fingernails clicked along the buttons of Ruby's blouse, a subtle tease that made Ruby shudder.

Ruby's heart jolted at the thought of Cinder undressing her in the library, and moaned into Cinder's neck at the idea. It was exhilarating, to have Cinder's fingers hooked in the part of her blouse. The thought of Cinder ripping the buttons from her blouse and pressing her lips to her heart made Ruby whimper, and she arched her back so that she could give all of herself to Cinder. The starched fabric of her shirt crumpled under the pressure of Cinder's fingers, and the woman crawled onto the desk, legs folded under her. She sat on Ruby's lap now, hipbones lined up with the girl's, hands pressed to supple hips.

Cinder's fingers threatened to slip under the waistband of Ruby's skirt, the pads of her hands pressed flush against warm hipbones. Ruby bucked into the touch, scrambling to prop herself against the wall. The Huntress mewled at the teasing press of flesh against her flushed skin, and grabbed blindly to kiss Cinder.

Their mouths were bitten and spit-slicked, and they were pressed flush against each other, small whimpers escaping from the corner of Ruby's mouth. Cinder cupped Ruby's chin with the curl of her hand, sitting back on her feet and tugging Ruby into her. She braced her forearm across the line of Ruby's shoulder blades, kissing her until the younger girl gasped for air.

Cinder growled low in her throat, pure lust fueling her energy. Her hands ran up Ruby's legs, pulling Ruby's socks up until she snapped them just at the top. Ruby's hips stuttered as Cinder's palms pressed like scorching brands against her thighs.

Ruby's skirt was just on the brink of being flipped up, the hem of the garment rising higher like a tidal wave. She squirmed under the pressure of Cinder's hands. Cinder's skin was soft and warm, and Ruby reached for one of her hands. Ruby's hand encircled Cinder's wrist, and brought the hand to her mouth. Cinder gazed up at Ruby through half-lidded eyes, black pupils wreathed in golden aureoles.

Ruby kissed the inside of Cinder's wrist, lower lip dragging across the warm skin of her pulse. Cinder smelled gorgeous, all singed flowers and honey petals and heavy spice. Her perfume was unlike anything that Ruby had ever smelled before, and she drank it down gluttonously, sighing in pleasure as Cinder stretched her fingers along her jaw.

Ruby wrapped her arms around Cinder's arm, pressing kisses to ever space of skin that she could see, closing her eyes as Cinder's fingernail grazed her temple. Her breath was heavy in her chest, and she felt like honey had been replaced in her veins with blood. Cinder's fingers retreated from where they had crawled up Ruby's skirt, until Cinder cupped Ruby with both of her hands. It was a gentle gesture wit most people, but in Ruby's situation, it was possessive and dominant, Cinder pulling Ruby's chin towards her. Ruby panted and fought to keep her eyes open.

Cinder rolled her hips forward into Ruby's and smiled as Ruby whimpered in pleasure. Cinder adjusted her hips, her skirt bunching p around her hips as she pinned Ruby's hips to the table.

"Are you feeling… _hot_, little jewel?" Cinder asked, low and sultry, gazing down at Ruby through long shadowed lashes. Ruby nibbled on her lower lip pressing her thumb deeper into Cinder's palm.

"_Mhmm_… y-yes…"

Cinder kissed Ruby, slanting her lips across the younger girl's until she keened in pleasure.

"Mm, well, let me see what I can do to help."


End file.
